Backwash shield assembly



D 1966 J. R. FRAYLICK BACKWASH' sun-2m) ASSEMBLY FiledAug 1, 1965 INVENTOR.

JOHN R.- FRAYLICK 3.,W0W

ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()fifice 3,Z9l,lfi5 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 3,291,165 BACKWASH SHIELD ASSEMBLY John R. Fraylick, Lakewood, flhio; assignor to The Standard Oil Company, Cleveland, Qhio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 299,234 6 Claims. (Cl. 141-286) This invention relates as indicate-d to a backwash shield and, more particularly, to a shield adapted to be attached to a fuel hose nozzle for fueling automobiles and the like to contain backwash or overflow of the fuel from the fuel tank fill pipe. Although the invention is described herein for use with hose nozzles for dispensing gasoline, it should be understood and will become apparent that the invention is more broadly applicable for use with other fluids and dispensing nozzle types.

When gasoline is delivered to the fuel tank of an automobile, there frequently occurs a surging of the gasoline upwardly out of the tank fill pipe, an action referred to as backwash, attended by a spilling of the gasoline out over the automobile exterior and the ground. This undesirable condition has persisted even with fuel nozzles which automatically shut off the flow when the gasoline nears the top of the fuel tank.

The gasoline spillage resulting from such backwash is undesirable for many reasons. Initially, the customer is paying for gasoline which he is not receiving; secondly, the gasoline adversely affects the polish or wax finish on the automobile exterior surrounding the fuel tank fill pipe, particularly the area below the same; finally, the gasolinespilled on the gasoline station apron creates a distinct fire and health hazard.

With the above in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a nozzle shield for preventing backwash from spilling outwardly from a liquid tank fill pipe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a backwash shield which can be quickly and easily attached to the dispensing nozzle of a gasoline pump.

A further object of the invention is to provide a backwash shield which can be manipulated relative to the fuel nozzle while attached thereto to accommodate various positions of the fuel nozzle without impairment of the shield function.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a backwash shield for returning backwashed liquid to the tank, the shield in addition providing venting of the vapors and the like for all adjusted positions of the shield.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a backwash shield having an end portion for sealingly engaging the outer end of the tank fill pipe, with such end portion being adaptable to varying diameter fill pipes.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the backwash shield assembly of the present invention mounted on a fuel nozzle in a vertical position of use;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the backwash shield showing the nozzle handle in a substantially horizontal use condition;

FIG. 3 is a slightly enlarged perspective view of the shield and the means for clamping the same to the auto matic fuel nozzle;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the shield proper and associated components in disassembled condition;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 5-5 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a further sectional view taken on the plane of line 66 in FIG. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, where like reference characters are used to designate like parts, the backwash shield assembly forming the present invention is generally indicated at 10 and is adapted to be mounted on a fuel nozzle 12 of a conventional type presently in extensive use in filling stations and the like. The fuel nozzle is of course provided with a flexible hose (not shown) communicating with the gas pump which in turn communicates with a gas storage tank in the usual manner. The nozzle 12 is formed with an operating lever 14 and is provided wit-h a nozzle end portion 16 which is adapted to extend downwardly into the fill pipe 18 of an automobile or the like for delivering fuel thereto. The fill pipe 18 is of course in communication with the fuel tank (not shown) of such automobile. The vehicle body is indicated in dashed lines at 2%, such body portion ex emplifying, for example, a fender, which is provided With an opening 22 in which the outer end of the fill pipe 18 is located.

The backwash shield assembly 10 comprises a tubular flexible plastic or composition rubber sleeve 24 the bottom end of which is adapted to sealingly engage the top of the fill pipe 18. Referring to FIG. 6, the inside of such bottom end of the sleeve 24 is provided with a series of varying diameter annular shoulders 26, 28 and 3%, whereby the shielding device is adapted to sealingly engage fill pipes of varying size. It will be understood that the composition of the sleeve 24 is sufiiciently resilient to provide for such sealing engagement between the respective shouders and the fuel tank fill pipe of corresponding diameter.

The shield sleeve 24 is formed with a tubular side extension 32 at an angle through which the end 16 of the fuel nozzle 12 is adapted to extend, such nozzle end 16 extending outwardly of the end of the sleeve 24 into the fill pipe 18. An adjustable clamp 34 is disposed around the side tubular extension 32, the clamp 34 being provided with an adjusting screw (not shown) for clamping the nozzle in the operative position thereof.

A bafile assembly generally indicated at 36 is telescoped within the opposite end of the sleeve 24, the baffle assembly comprising a pair of spaced bafile plates 40 and 42 and a cylindrical body portion 44 to which the battle plates are secured in any suitable manner. Each of the baffle plates 40 and 42 is provided with a plurality of openings commonly designated at 46, the openings in the baflle plate 48, however, being vertically staggered from the openings in the bafiie plate 42. Such a staggered arrangement of openings thus insures that any liquid passing through the openings 46 in the bottom bafile plate 42 will contact a solid area in the bafile plate 4 0 immediately thereabove, whereby such liquid is confined within the shield sleeve and subsequently drains by gravity downwardly to and through the fill pipe 18 of the vehicle. As will be apparent, the baffle assembly 36 additionally functions as a means whereby the gas vapors and the like are vented to the atmosphere.

The baffle assembly 36 is clamped in position within the shield sleeve 24 by means of a battle clamp 48, such clamp being in the form shown a steel band the effective diameter of which can be regulated by means of adjusting screw 50 in a well-known manner,

At the opposite side of the band there is a projection 52 from which extends a mounting pin 56. The upper end of the sleeve 24 and the baffle assembly 36 are operatively connected to the nozzle 12 by means of a frame 58, the extreme upper end of which is provided with a transverse opening through which the pin 56 extends. The pin 56 is formed with an annular groove adjacent the end thereof into which a retaining was-her 60 is inserted for retaining the frame 58 in assembled position on the bafile clamp 48 and providing a relatively stiff pivotal connection therebetween. The frame 58 includes spaced leg members 62 and 64 which are convexly curved at the end portions 66 and 68 thereof for positioning the frame 58 over the cylindrical portion 70 of the nozzle 12. When the frame 58 is so positioned, wing nuts 72 and 74 can be tightened on the clamp bolts 76 and 78, respectively, to clamp the frame 58 in place on the nozzle. The baffle clamp 48 and the frame 58 will preferably come in assembled position, whereby to install the backwash shield all that is necessary is to place the curved end portions 66 and 68 of the frame 58 over the nozzle portion 70 and tighten the wing nuts 72 and 74, with tightening of the clamp 34 as previously described.

By providing a pivotal connection between the frame 58 and the baffle clamp 48, through the pin 56, and due to the flexibility of the sleeve 24, it will be seen that in any ordinary use condition of the nozzle 12, the baffle plates 40 and 42 can be moved to a substantially horizontal position. For example, where the position of the fill pipe 18 precludes the insertion of the nozzle into the same in the most common vertical manner, as shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle 12 may be turned approximately 90 to a substantially horizontal position, as indicated in FIG. 2, and the baflle clamp 48 subsequently moved to a substantially horizontal position by pivoting the same on the frame 58 through the pivot pin 56. In the FIG. 2 position, the flexibility of the shield sleeve 24 enables the shield sleeve to assume the condition illustrated therein, whereby such shield sleeve forms an effective pocket for trapping the backwash fuel. Any backwash fuel directed into the shield sleeve 24 will collect in the pocket formed by the shield sleeve whereby subsequent rotation of the nozzle after the dispensing operation to position the baffle end of the sleeve above the nozzle end will effect a draining of the trapped fluid back down through the fill pipe in the usual manner. The baflle frame will be pivoted as the nozzle is so rotated so as to maintain the frame in a substantially horizontal position. The shape of the fill pipe may of course require that the nozzle be withdrawn from the fill pipe 18 to a position closely adjacent the outer end thereof to effect such rotation thereof.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a novel shielding device for collecting backwash fuel and subsequently returning the same to the fuel tank fill pipe. This shield can be simply and quickly clamped to existing fuel nozzle equipment and is adaptable to varying diameter fill pipes. The pivotal mounting of the frame relative to the baflle assembly enables the latter to be rotated relative to the fuel nozzle to accommodate any normal use position of the nozzle while maintaining the baffle frame substantially horizontal whereby under all dispensing conditions the backwash fuel is trapped or confined within the shield sleeve and eventually returned to the fill pipe and the fuel tank.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, providing the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A backwash shielding device for hose nozzles for fueling automobiles or the like comprising a flexible tubular shield sleeve having a lower end portion adapted to engage the end of a fill pipe extending upwardly from the automobile fuel tank for filling the same, said shield sleeve having a tubular side extension through which said hose nozzle is adapted to extend, means for clamping said side extension around said hose nozzle, baffle means positioned within said shield sleeve at the opposite end thereof for preventing fuel flow outwardly of said shield sleeve and permitting egress of gas vapors therethrough, baffle clamp means for clamping said baflle means within said sleeve, frame means connected at one end to said clamp means and at its opposite end to said nozzle, whereby fuel backwash directed into said shield sleeve is confined therein by said baflle means, such backwash eventually flowing back to said fill pipe and said fuel tank.

2. The shielding device of claim 1 wherein said baffle clamp means is pivotally connected to said frame means to accommodate relative pivotal movement between said hose nozzle and said baffle means whereby the latter can be maintained in substantially horizontal position in all operative positions of said nozzle.

3. A backwash shield assembly for hose nozzles for fueling automobiles or the like comprising a flexible tubular sleeve having an end portion adapted to sealingly engage the end of the fill pipe communicating with the automobile fuel tank for filling the same, means for detachably mounting said sleeve to a fuel nozzle through which fuel is directed from a fuel source to said fill pipe, fluid bafiling means associated with the opposite end of said sleeve for containing the fuel splashing within said sleeve and permitting the gas vapors to be vented outwardly of said sleeve, said mounting means including a baflle clamp clamping together said baffling means and said sleeve, and frame means pivotally mounted at one end to said clamp and mounted at its other end to a portion of said fuel nozzle whereby said baffling means can be rotated relative to said frame and said nozzle, said opposite end of said sleeve being disposed above said lower end thereof, whereby fuel backwash from said fill pipe flows upwardly in said sleeve and is confined therewithin by said baflling means, the fuel backwash returning by gravity to said fill pipe.

4. The shielding device of claim 3 wherein said sleeve includes a tubular side extension through which said fuel nozzle extends, said mounting means including a second clamp for clamping said side extension around said fuel nozzle.

5. A backwash shield assembly for hose nozzles for fueling automobiles or the like comprising a flexible tubular sleeve having an end portion adapted to sealingly engage the end of the fill pipe communicating with the automobile fuel tank for filling the same, means for detachably mounting said sleeve to a fuel nozzle through which fuel is directed from a fuel source to said fill pipe, and fluid baffling means associated with the opposite end of said sleeve for containing the fuel splashing within said sleeve and permitting the gas vapors to be vented outwardly of said sleeve, said fluid baffling means comprising spaced baflle plates, each of said plates containing a plurality of vent openings through which gas vapors can be vented to the atmosphere, the openings in each of said plates being staggered relative to the openings in the other of said plates so as to provide a tortuous path through said plates thereby to prevent flow of fuel outwardly thereof, said opposite end of said sleeve being disposed above said lower end thereof, whereby fuel backwash from said fill pipe flows upwardly in said sleeve and is confined therewithin by said baflling means, the fuel backwash returning by gravity to said fill pipe.

6. A backwash shielding device for hose nozzles for fueling automobiles or the like comprising a flexible tubular shield sleeve having an end portion adapted to engage the end of a fill pipe extending from the automobile fuel tank for filling the same, clamp means for adjustably mounting a section of said sleeve to said nozzle, fluid bafa 5 6 fling means mounted at the opposite end of said shield References Cited by the Examiner sleeve for permitting egress of air but not fluid from such UNITED STATES PATENTS end when said end is elevated relative to said end engaging said fill pipe, and means interconnecting said nozzle and 2,214,708 9/194) Mayne et a1 141 286 8 said opposite end of said sleeve to permit movement of 5 2,703,670 3/1935 Volght 141367 X said opposite end of said sleeve and said fluid baflling means relative to said nozzle and said end of said sleeve LAVERNE GEIGER Pnmmy Examiner adapted to engage said fill pipe thereby to permit said fluid SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Examiner. baffling means to be maintained in a substantially hori- H BELL Assistant Examiner zontal position. 0 

1. A BACKWASH SHIELDING DEVICE FOR HOSE NOZZLES FOR FUELING AUTOMOBILES OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE TUBULAR SHIELD SLEEVE HAVING A LOWER END PORTION ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE END OF A FILL PIPE EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE AUTOMOBILE FUEL TANK FOR FILLING THE SAME, SAID SHIELD SLEEVE HAVING A TUBULAR SIDE EXTENSION THROUGH WHICH SAID HOSE NOZZLE IS ADAPTED TO EXTEND, MEANS FOR CLAMPING SAID SIDE EXTENSION AROUND SAID HOSE NOZZLE, BAFFLE MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID SHIELD SLEEVE AT THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF FOR PREVENTING FUEL FLOW OUTWARDLY OF SAID SHIELD SLEEVE AND PERMITTING EGRESS OF GAS VAPORS THERETHROUGH, BAFFLE CLAMP MEANS FOR CLAMPING SAID BAFFLE MEANS WITHIN SAID SLEEVE, FRAME MEANS CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID CLAMP MEANS AND AT ITS OPPOSITE END TO SAID NOZZLE, WHEREBY FUEL BACKWASH DIRECTED INTO SAID SHIELD SLEEVE IS CONFINED THEREIN BY SAID BAFFLE MEANS, SUCH BACKWASH EVENTUALLY FLOWING BACK TO SAID FILL PIPE AND SAID FUEL TANK. 